Who Will Win The NBA Championship?

[Stautner]

Your right Ernie. Wes Unseld played center for the Bullets teams. I forgot about that.

Yep. Unseld wasn't the scoring presence under the basket that Hayes was, but he was the center and the underneath muscle.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Yep. Unseld wasn't the scoring presence under the basket that Hayes was, but he was the center and the underneath muscle.

Good rebounder too.

 

[Stautner]

Good rebounder too.

Yep - between Unseld and Hayes they had the boards pretty well covered. Unseld could set a mean pick too. Like running into a brick wall.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Yep - between Unseld and Hayes they had the boards pretty well covered. Unseld could set a mean pick too. Like running into a brick wall.

Yep, that was a good team. I remember them well. They also had Dandridge who could score, Kevin Grevey, Greg Ballard and Phil Chenier, although, I think he was injured in their championship year. I think Mitch Kupchack was also on that team.

I think they beat Seattle in that Championship Series. That was also a good team with Sikma, DJ, Downtown Freddie Brown and Gus Williams.

As I recall, their big rivals, at the time, were the Sixers. Those were the Dr. J, Dawkins, Doug Collins, Geroge McGinnis teams. What's really interesting about that team was that they had Henry Bibby (Mike Bibby), Mike Dunleavy (Mike Dunleavy Jr.) and Jellybean Bryant (Kobe Bryant) on that team as well.

I loved that era of basketball.

 

[Stautner]

Yep, that was a good team. I remember them well. They also had Dandridge who could score, Kevin Grevey, Greg Ballard and Phil Chenier, although, I think he was injured in their championship year. I think Mitch Kupchack was also on that team.

I think they beat Seattle in that Championship Series. That was also a good team with Sikma, DJ, Downtown Freddie Brown and Gus Williams.

As I recall, their big rivals, at the time, were the Sixers. Those were the Dr. J, Dawkins, Doug Collins, Geroge McGinnis teams. What's really interesting about that team was that they had Henry Bibby (Mike Bibby), Mike Dunleavy (Mike Dunleavy Jr.) and Jellybean Bryant (Kobe Bryant) on that team as well.

I loved that era of basketball.

Great job pulling all those names out. I tend to think of Grevey, Kupchak etc as coming after Hayes and Unseld, but they were young guys coming in late in Hayes/Unseld's careers.

I recall Dave Bing playing with the Bullets a few years in the 1970's as well, Had forgot about Dandridge on the Bullets. My memories of him are more tied to the Bucks in the Lew Alcindor days.

 

[JackWagon]

Magic
Bird
Russell
Chamberlain
Jordan
Robertson

Chamberlain is my pick as the best ever. They changed the rules cause of him. They didnt change any rules for the others.

When Wilt Chamberlain was in high school, he had a unique way of shooting free-throws. He would stand at the top of the key, throw the ball up toward the basket, take two steps, jump toward the rim and jam the ball through the net. Doing this resulted in basketball rules to state that a player cannot cross the plane of the free-throw line when shooting a free-throw.

 

[Stautner]

Magic
Bird
Russell
Chamberlain
Jordan
Robertson

Chamberlain is my pick as the best ever. They changed the rules cause of him. They didnt change any rules for the others.

When Wilt Chamberlain was in high school, he had a unique way of shooting free-throws. He would stand at the top of the key, throw the ball up toward the basket, take two steps, jump toward the rim and jam the ball through the net. Doing this resulted in basketball rules to state that a player cannot cross the plane of the free-throw line when shooting a free-throw.

Good list, but I have to question not listing Jabbar.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Great job pulling all those names out. I tend to think of Grevey, Kupchak etc as coming after Hayes and Unseld, but they were young guys coming in late in Hayes/Unseld's careers.

I recall Dave Bing playing with the Bullets a few years in the 1970's as well, Had forgot about Dandridge on the Bullets. My memories of him are more tied to the Bucks in the Lew Alcindor days.

Yeah, I didn't really watch Basketball much prior to say 74 or so. I watched some but the Bullets and the Big E were the first Basketball team that I really liked in the NBA. Probably why I have such fond memories of that era.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Good list, but I have to question not listing Jabbar.

I agree. I would also consider Hakeem Olajuwon in the discussion. Very underated player IMO.

 

[Stautner]

Yeah, I didn't really watch Basketball much prior to say 74 or so. I watched some but the Bullets and the Big E were the first Basketball team that I really liked in the NBA. Probably why I have such fond memories of that era.

I only started paying attention to the NBA a year or two before you did. The Bucks with Alcindor, Oscar Roberston, Dandridge, Lucius Allen etc .. were my first team - natural for a kid to latch on to the successful team of the time, especially considering there was no local team, or even a successful Texas franchise at the time. I also jumped on the Bullet bandwagon. Of course, back in those days you didn't get much basketball on TV and the most successful teams were the only ones that got much media coverage at all.

I agree. I would also consider Hakeem Olajuwon in the discussion. Very underated player IMO.

I agree. He was easily the big key in the Rockets success in the 1990's. Great rebounder, great scorer, and one of the truly great shot blockers to ever play the game. Didn't have a big ego either, and didn't mind dishing the ball off when he was covered.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

I only started paying attention to the NBA a year or two before you did. The Bucks with Alcindor, Oscar Roberston, Dandridge, Lucius Allen etc .. were my first team - natural for a kid to latch on to the successful team of the time, especially considering there was no local team, or even a successful Texas franchise at the time. I also jumped on the Bullet bandwagon. Of course, back in those days you didn't get much basketball on TV and the most successful teams were the only ones that got much media coverage at all.

This is exactly right. I remember when Jabbar got traded to L.A. Not sure if you did this when you were in school or not Ernie but when I was a boy, we had what was called Sustained Silent Reading in Language Arts. All the boys would make a made rush for the Sports Illustrated mags and of course, everybody wanted Football or Baseball. What was left was usually basketball and other sports. Well, I sat to the back of the room and so I was always about last to get to the mags. I remember getting the Sports Illustrated issue that covered Jabbar getting traded to L.A. You know what they say, "You race with whatcha got." It's funny, I can remember that Sports Illustrated in my mind like it was yesterday.

I agree. He was easily the big key in the Rockets success in the 1990's. Great rebounder, great scorer, and one of the truly great shot blockers to ever play the game. Didn't have a big ego either, and didn't mind dishing the ball off when he was covered.

Yes, he was, in many ways, the closest thing to what I admire most in any player, any sport. I was never a fan of the Rockets because I was a Laker fan and the Rockets were rivals but I always like The Dream. He was just fun to watch play. He was so good and he made everything look easy. He was a great player.

 

[Stautner]

This is exactly right. I remember when Jabbar got traded to L.A. Not sure if you did this when you were in school or not Ernie but when I was a boy, we had what was called Sustained Silent Reading in Language Arts. All the boys would make a made rush for the Sports Illustrated mags and of course, everybody wanted Football or Baseball. What was left was usually basketball and other sports. Well, I sat to the back of the room and so I was always about last to get to the mags. I remember getting the Sports Illustrated issue that covered Jabbar getting traded to L.A. You know what they say, "You race with whatcha got." It's funny, I can remember that Sports Illustrated in my mind like it was yesterday.




Yes, he was, in many ways, the closest thing to what I admire most in any player, any sport. I was never a fan of the Rockets because I was a Laker fan and the Rockets were rivals but I always like The Dream. He was just fun to watch play. He was so good and he made everything look easy. He was a great player.

You must have had a better school than I did. We didn't have access to SI.

I actually remember watching some of the NBA playoffs late at night after the evening news because the networks wouldn't show the games during prime time. I imagine those must have been weekend games because I'm sure my parents wouldn't have let me stay up that late on school nights.

I was a big Laker fan in the 1980's - loved the Celtics too, but always rooted for the Lakers. It had nothing to do with any love I ever had for the Lakers, but it was about how they played the game. Both the Lakers and Celtics in those days played great team basket ball. Different styles, but both offenses geared toward moving the ball and getting the highest percentage shot. I always hated when people dismissed the Lakers as just a run and gun team because if you knew the game you understood that it was a controlled break, not just pushing downcourt and throwing up whatever shot they could get. People filled the lanes, always with a trailer following the play, and if the fast break wasn't there they would set up the offense and still had one of the top half court offenses in the game.

Funny thing is in today's game where there are so many great athletes that can run with sprinters speed and jump through the roof, and where the 3 point play is standard in the offense rather than an ocassional weapon, scoring in the NBA is actually down from those days. Too much emphasis on one on one offense and flair and flash and not enough on team play.

 

[Cowboys&LakersFan]

Talk about going off topic. :laugh2:

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

You must have had a better school than I did. We didn't have access to SI.

I actually remember watching some of the NBA playoffs late at night after the evening news because the networks wouldn't show the games during prime time. I imagine those must have been weekend games because I'm sure my parents wouldn't have let me stay up that late on school nights.

I was a big Laker fan in the 1980's - loved the Celtics too, but always rooted for the Lakers. It had nothing to do with any love I ever had for the Lakers, but it was about how they played the game. Both the Lakers and Celtics in those days played great team basket ball. Different styles, but both offenses geared toward moving the ball and getting the highest percentage shot. I always hated when people dismissed the Lakers as just a run and gun team because if you knew the game you understood that it was a controlled break, not just pushing downcourt and throwing up whatever shot they could get. People filled the lanes, always with a trailer following the play, and if the fast break wasn't there they would set up the offense and still had one of the top half court offenses in the game.

Funny thing is in today's game where there are so many great athletes that can run with sprinters speed and jump through the roof, and where the 3 point play is standard in the offense rather than an ocassional weapon, scoring in the NBA is actually down from those days. Too much emphasis on one on one offense and flair and flash and not enough on team play.

William B. Travis Elementary School. Our teachers used to bring them to school. I guess we were lucky to have good teachers.

 

[kristie]

Talk about going off topic. :laugh2:

no kidding.

 

[Stautner]

William B. Travis Elementary School. Our teachers used to bring them to school. I guess we were lucky to have good teachers.

I can tell by the name of the school you are from Texas.

 

[DFWJC]

Magic
Bird
Russell
Chamberlain
Jordan
Robertson

.

Nice list, and a couple of more could be added.
These lists works great as long as we say "here is my top 5 or 10 list and it's just a matter of opinion on what order you place them in".

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

I can tell by the name of the school you are from Texas.

Yes. I am from the Houston Area.

 

[JackWagon]

Agreed that Jabar and Hakeem need to be on the list along with Timmy ... And maybe Shaq